Hungarian government loophole: Guest workers can still come to Hungary

The Hungarian government’s recent regulations on guest worker recruitment may seem like a significant shift towards limiting guest workers, but loopholes in the new policies ensure that the inflow of non-EU workers won’t dry up entirely. Despite reducing the annual guest worker quota and narrowing the list of eligible countries, exceptions for major economic projects and alternative pathways still exist.

Guest worker regulations

As G7 writes, Hungary’s recent tightening of rules on the recruitment of guest workers has sparked debate, but its overall economic impact is expected to be minimal. The government announced a reduction in the annual guest worker quota to 35,000 for 2025, down from 65,000, emphasising a policy of limiting foreign workers. This reflects Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s pledge to ensure Hungary remains “neither a country of guest workers nor migrants.”

The exceptions

The new rules restrict eligible non-EU countries to those with readmission agreements, significantly narrowing the list to Georgia and Armenia. However, the late addition of the Philippines as an approved sending country can be explained as a practical adjustment to labour market needs. While these changes align with a politically rational narrative, the macroeconomic impact of fewer guest workers is expected to remain limited.

The loophole

Hungary’s recent measures have tightened regulations for employing guest workers from third countries, reducing the number of eligible nations from ten to just three: Georgia, Armenia, and the Philippines. These changes follow the 2024 introduction of the Aliens Act, which allows only qualified employers—government strategic partners or companies involved in priority national investments—and 29 approved temporary work agencies to recruit guest workers. Contracts for these workers typically span up to two years, with a possible one-year extension, while seasonal agricultural and tourism roles remain available under simplified rules for shorter terms.

Despite these restrictions, exceptions exist for critical economic projects such as investments by BYD in Szeged and BMW in Debrecen, where guest workers can be employed without limitation. Additionally, the National Card scheme, effective in 2024, offers an alternative pathway for certain nationalities, including Bosniaks and Ukrainians, under stricter conditions. These adjustments reflect Hungary’s balancing act between political objectives and economic needs.

Read also:

• Guest worker situation after regulations change in Hungary: What companies can expect
• Guest workers update: Filipino workers continue to have access to Hungary despite no formal agreement

Featured image: depositphotos.com